Jennie’s Famous “Everyone Eats This” Weeknight Pasta

The signature dish of a household run by a founder, a toddler, a crawler, and a husband who knows better than to question the amount of garlic.

This is the pasta I make every single week. It’s our ride-or-die, the one meal everyone eats without complaint — including the tiny humans who reject 90% of other edible items. It’s cozy, flexible, simple, and deeply delicious. And because I’m not a measurement girlie, I cook this the old-school way: taste, adjust, trust your instincts.

The Long, Chatty, Story Version

Start with 1.5–2 packs of Sugar Bomb tomatoes (or any cherry tomatoes that look good). Toss them into your pot — I use my Our Place pot — and drench them in olive oil. A solid ¼ cup is the baseline, but more is always welcomed. Add a few generous pinches of salt.

If you’re feeling put together, halve the tomatoes. If you’re vibing, podcasting, or FaceTiming a friend, quarter them. Cover the pot and let them simmer on low for about 20 minutes. If you forget about them because there’s a toddler meltdown or a diaper situation, it’s totally fine. This recipe forgives everything.

If you’re sensitive to acid, add half a carrot while everything cooks. It mellows the tomatoes beautifully. You can eat the carrot after, toss it, or give it to someone in the house who desperately needs vegetables. Just don’t blend it — it throws the whole balance off.

After 20 minutes, taste your sauce and adjust as you go. Now add salt, pepper or chili flakes (if you’re not feeding tiny mouths), a big squeeze of tomato paste, and a hearty handful of minced garlic. I’m an 8–10 clove person even when recipes call for two, but follow your truth. Keep tasting and building flavor until you love it.

At this point, decide if you want it creamy or rustic. If creamy, blend until smooth — my boys prefer it this way. If rustic, leave it chunky and beautiful.

For fresh pasta, pour in 2 cups of bone broth (I use fresh broth; if using boxed, watch the sodium). Turn the heat on high until everything bubbles. Add your pasta (separate the pieces if they’re stuck together), make sure the noodles are fully covered, and scatter herbs on top. I use whatever is thriving — thyme, mint, basil, parsley. If you’re cooking on a budget, basil alone is perfect.

Cover and cook for 4–6 minutes. I love al dente, but my tiny diners do not care about my preferences. Peek at 3 minutes and use a wooden spoon to scrape the bottom. If it feels sticky, add about ½ cup water. Keep cooking, tasting, and adjusting liquid until the pasta is soft and happy.

Turn off the heat and add a generous amount of parmesan and pecorino. Taste again and adjust salt if needed.

Plate with extra pecorino, a drizzle of your fancy olive oil, flaky sea salt, and chili flakes if you’re not cooking for small sensitive mouths.

If using dry pasta instead of fresh, start with 3.5 cups of water or bone broth. Bring it to a boil, add pasta, and cook according to the package. Everything else stays the same.

Ingredients

For the Sauce

• 1.5–2 packs Sugar Bomb or cherry tomatoes

• ¼ cup olive oil (or more)

• Salt

• Optional: ½ carrot for acid reduction

• Pepper or chili flakes

• Tomato paste

• 8–10 cloves garlic, minced

For the Pasta

• Fresh pasta (Whole Foods, farmers market, Eataly, or homemade)

• 2 cups fresh bone broth (or 3.5 cups if using dry pasta)

• Herbs: basil, thyme, mint, parsley

• Parmesan and pecorino

To Finish

• Extra pecorino

• Olive oil

• Flaky sea salt

• Chili flakes

Quick Instructions

1. Add tomatoes, olive oil, and salt to a pot.

2. Halve or quarter the tomatoes; simmer covered for ~20 minutes.

3. Add carrot if sensitive to acid (don’t blend it).

4. Add tomato paste, garlic, salt, pepper/chili flakes. Taste and adjust.

5. Blend for creamy sauce or leave rustic.

6. For fresh pasta: add 2 cups bone broth, bring to boil, add pasta + herbs, cook 4–6 minutes, adding water if needed.

7. For dry pasta: start with 3.5 cups broth/water, boil, add pasta, cook per package.

8. Turn off heat, add parmesan + pecorino.

9. Serve with more cheese, olive oil, flaky salt, and chili flakes.